Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-11-22


port on the condition of Idaho:
The millions of acres of desert Ian,
IN Idaho can only be made produc
1--WE by a system Of irrigation. |,
many localities joint and ;ndivi,lua
enterprise and liberal OUTLAY q
money have diverted the water from
the natural streams and conyeved ;
by canals on the dry and arid plains
and have brought many tracts into
high state of cultivation where neo
pie have made for themselves an,
their families happy and prosperou
homes on land that before being re
claimed was but barren waste o,
which scarcely spear of grass o,
any kind of vegetation Except worth
less sage) could be seen by the hu,
man eye.
l have long since come to the con.
ciusion that these desert lands mus,
be reclaimed by private enterprise
ahd congress cannot be too liberal in
Its legislation for the disposal to p-,-
vate individuals of these now wor,b.
less lands, which, when reclaimed
irrigated and properly cultivated, be-
come at once the most productive
and easily worked lands in the conn
try. 1t would be wise law for Con.
gress to pass that would give to eyerv
actual settler who would reclaim, irri-
gate, cultivate and settle upon per-
manently as homestead, 32O acres
OF this desert land. BY this system
a number OF strong, hearty working
men could combine together, and
mainly by their labor take out these
bitches from the numerous streams
and convey the water by canals on
to the selected locations.
There is no safer investment for
capital than i'll irrgating canals. In
the valleys of Snake, Boise, Payette,
Welser and Wood rivers there are
over 100000 acres of land of most
excellent quality that will produce
grain, timothy, clover, alfalfa and all
the vegetables and fruits that are
grown IN temperate climate to as
great perfection as any where In the
United States, but as there is no
rainfall during five months in the
year vegetation that requires mois-
ture cannot grow. The wild sage
when once irrigated withers and dies.
When this vast region blessed with
delightful climate and remarkably
fertile soil, shall be reclaimed by the
of water on its surface
every foot of it will soon be settled
and the sagebrush desert turned into
fertile and cultivated fields where
thousands of honest farmers, fruit
ralsrrs, stock growers and dairymen
could make for themselves perma-
nent, beautiful, prosperous and hap
py homes.
Most of the locations on the dry
and arid lands favorable to cheap aud
easy introduction of water for irriga-
ton have been taken up aud utilized
oy turning the waters of the streams
On the lands by bitches and canals;
many of the finest orchards, timber
cultures and farms in this territory
which have been brought to their
present high state OF cultivation, were
)nly few years ago, the poorest aud
most worthless of the desert lauds.
Many hundreds of miles of private
litches have been constructed, of
\ hich no record is kept, and we are
,nly reminded of their presence as
We pass over the country and see the
inc farms and beautiful homes that
'ould not be made without water and
irrigation, which is much more rela-
Die than to depend on rainfall in the
production OF crops, as tie moisture
,an be regulated according to the
necessities of each crop the farmer
wants to grow. Larger crops are OBJ
aimed by irrigation than by depend
NO. on natural moisture and with
greater certainty; besides the quality
S better; oats raised in this manner
will weigh 40 pounds to the bushel, as
against 50 pounds the standard
weight. The water used for irriga-
ion is freighted with fertilizing ma
5erials produced from decaying yege-
alton and wash of the soil from
higher attitudes, which on being
spread by the flowing water Owe. the
cultivated fields leaves sediment
'ich in producing qualities,
There is to, day an abundant sup
ply of unclaimed and unappropriated
water to irrigate all the desert land
referred TO lvipo near the